Month: October 2021

We may know the Lord but we shouldn’t live for ‘Self’.

Paul appealed to the Philippian Church to go forward in love and humility for one another and avoid being self centred.

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, ²  THEN MAKE MY JOY COMPLETE BY BEING LIKE-MINDED, HAVING THE SAME LOVE, BEING ONE IN SPIRIT AND PURPOSE. Philippians 2

Paul continues his letter with a powerful statement about all that being united to Christ should mean for believers. He appeals to them, that if they’ve experienced these blessings, ‘Then’ they should make his Joy complete by being as one/united in Christ. Unity is something the enemy hates and fears. It’s also supposed to be a sign to the world. Paul acknowledges the Joy that the Philippians bring to him, while under house arrest in Rome. He goes on to tell them how they should go forward together as one.

³ Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit (in contrast to serving one another). Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, ⁴ not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

Paul goes on later to speak of his spiritual son Timothy;

²⁰ I have no one else like him, who will show genuine concern for your welfare. ²¹ For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.

Timothy apparently didn’t live for himself and Paul said that set him apart. Everyone else was looking out for themselves, not Christ. We see many times in the Bible, the length God goes to, in order to get someone with a true heart towards Him; Moses 40 years in the desert, Samuel dedicated before birth, David fleeing for his life but praising the Lord through it all. God values and protects those who live for Him and not self.

⁵ In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

The apostle Paul writes with love and gratitude to the Church at Philippi, unlike some of his other letters which address major problems in their congregations.

³ I thank my God every time I remember you. Philippians 1

Paul’s opening remarks are very positive towards those he knew and established as the Church of Phillipi.

⁴ In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with JOY (a key word in Paul’s letter to this Church) ⁵ because of your PARTNERSHIP (koinonia) in the gospel from the first day until now, ( probably over a period of ten years)

Paul speaks about the Philippians as a Church that brings him Joy, 1:25,26, their memory was and is a blessing to him.

²⁵ Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and JOY in the faith, ²⁶ so that through my being with you again your boasting(JOY) in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.

They were the one Church that supported him financially, particularly when imprisoned in Rome. The Greek word ‘koinonia’, used for partnership has a business, as well as spiritual connotation. If a business prospers or fails, then everyone in the partnership is affected, the relationship is that binding. So Paul thanked them for partnering (in the spiritual sense means Fellowship), with Him in the Gospel. Perhaps the Church today should place a higher value on those who are partnering with the sharing of the Gospel.

… ⁶ being CONFIDENT of this, that HE who began a good work in you will CARRY IT ON TO COMPLETION until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6

Paul ends his opening statement to the Philippians by expressing Confidence that God Himself will finish the work that has already begun. He can’t be with them himself, but he knows that ultimately it’s God who builds His Church. This is the positive side of our faith today, God has begun something in us as well and He’s working on bringing it to a completion. We need to be willing to ‘partnership’ with Him. The Philippians had aligned themselves to Paul and his ministry, no doubt out of great gratitude, but they continued to support and help him. God is working with us and we need to align ourselves to His cause and support His work wherever and however we can.

Paul concludes with the powerful prayer that he in turn is praying for those in Phillipi;

⁹ And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, ¹⁰ so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, ¹¹ filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ – to the glory and praise of God.

We can also pray this for those we know in the Faith today.

God bless and keep you and make His face shine upon you and give you peace.

Proverbs has much to say about the tongue and it’s use, it’s good to remind ourselves what’s written in the Word.

Proverbs 10, there’s much wisdom given even in this single chapter and most times the sayings are straight forward;

¹¹ The mouth of the righteous is a FOUNTAIN OF LIFE, (a vivid description of LIFE FLOWING from the righteous, but not necessarily the religious as my iPad just prompted).

²⁰ The tongue of the righteous is CHOICE SILVER (of high value and worth listening to if we can find it),

²¹ The lips of the righteous NOURISH MANY (people are drawn to those who speak wisdom, they want to hear their words),

³¹ From the mouth of the righteous comes the FRUIT OF WISDOM (something satisfying to our souls),

³² The lips of the righteous know WHAT FINDS FAVOUR OR IS FITTING (this is a gift, to speak the right word at the right time – A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver. Proverbs 25:11).

These five verses in Chapter 10 give us positive things that may flow from the mouths of those who lead righteous lives. There are also two other verses in the same chapter which caution on the wrong use of the tongue.

⁸ The wise in heart accept commands,
    but a CHATTERING FOOL (too busy airing their own views to follow instructions) comes to ruin.

Another version reads … and a TALKATIVE FOOL KICKETH! YLT

Instead of taking instructions, we can KICK OUT IN ANGER, God looks to see which we will do.

¹⁹ WHEN WORDS ARE MANY (a warning sign for believers), sin is not absent,
    but the one who HOLDS THEIR TONGUE IS WISE (it’s often more difficult not to have our say when others around us are venting, but the Word cautions not to do it).

I was listening to a Derek Prince talk recently entitled, ‘If you want to Hear God Speak?’. I was impressed by an interesting point he made.

He stated that we needed to give open-ended time with no limits to waiting and listening for God to speak. He said we should ‘Stop praying and Start Listening’. ‘Most of us have done too much talking’, we needed to start listening. That was one the keys he gave to hearing from God, just listen instead of talking, filling the space with our own words. He said in his own life, most of the blockages were at his end and God had to deal with them first.

Good advice if we’re serious about hearing from Heaven, instead of just going on doing our own things.

The Lord bless and keep you today.

The early chapters of the Book of Proverbs are addressed to sons (we could say children), the King’s advice to his young family. God also speaks today, to us, His children.

4 Listen, MY SONS, to a father’s instruction;
    pay attention and gain understanding.
² I give you sound learning,
    so do not forsake my teaching. Proverbs 4

God requires our full attention before He will begin to teach us anything. We must set aside other things which demand our attention and come before Him.

‘Wisdom is supreme’, though not greatly sought after in our day. Wisdom is knowing how to apply knowledge, but the Bible also refers to Wisdom as a person. We need to value and esteem someone if we are going to befriend them.

⁵ Get wisdom, get understanding;
    do not forget my words or turn away from them.
⁶ Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;
    love her, and she will watch over you.
⁷ The beginning of wisdom is this: get wisdom.
    THOUGH IT COST ALL YOU HAVE, get understanding.
⁸ CHERISH her, and she will exalt you;
    EMBRACE her, and she will honour you.
⁹ She will give you a garland to grace your head
    and present you with a glorious crown.’

Proverbs promise many powerful blessings to those who seek the Wisdom of God, very different from that of this world.

¹⁰ Listen, MY SON, accept what I say,
    and the years of your life will be many (Longlife).
¹¹ I instruct you in the way of wisdom
    and lead you along straight paths (no wrong trails).

The path of the Righteous becomes brighter and brighter, but the way of the wicked grows darker. We don’t know what’s along a path until we’ve walked on it. God warns us, His children, to follow the path with the light.

¹⁸ The path of the righteous is like the morning sun,
    shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
¹⁹ But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness;
    they do not know what makes them stumble.

God demands our attention to what He’s saying and that we keep His Words in our heart (we have to have His Words with us).

²⁰ MY SON, pay attention to what I say;
    turn your ear to my words.
²¹ Do not let them out of your sight,
    keep them within your heart;
²² for they are life to those who find them
    and health to one’s whole body.
²³ ABOVE ALL ELSE, GUARD YOUR HEART,
    for everything you do flows from it (YOUR WHOLE LIFE  FLOWS FROM IT).

God speaks to us as His Sons and Daughters (worth considering that the Creator of everything speaks to us), surely the Words of God (written or spoken directly) are worth giving our attention to, they are the very words of life.

²⁴ ‘“‘The Lord bless you
    and keep you;
²⁵ the Lord make his face shine on you
    and be gracious to you;
²⁶ the Lord turn his face towards you
    and give you peace.’” Numbers 6

We are called to be part of one body and Christ is it’s head.

¹² Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. ¹³ For we were all baptised by one Spirit so as to form one body – whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free – and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. ¹⁴ And so the body is not made up of one part but of many. 1 Corinthians 12

The enemy often brings divisions in the body, though there is only one body and we all need each other.

²¹ The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I don’t need you!’ And the head cannot say to the feet, ‘I don’t need you!’ ²² On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, …

²⁷ Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. ²⁸ And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues.

Many people know verse 28, which speaks of the offices in the Church and many claim to be apostles and prophets, but fewer people know the preceding verse, 27. Paul says each of us is a part of ‘Christ’s body’, and are therefore needed by the body. God in His Grace, may allow someone to stand for a time in a certain position, but how much better to have the one called to be in that place. A body divided is a body held in derision by the world.

6 If any of you has a dispute with another, do you dare to take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the Lord’s people? ² Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? … ⁶ But instead, one brother takes another to court – and this in front of unbelievers! 1 Corinthians 6

The phrase ‘One another’ is used many times in the Word;

²⁵ Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbour, FOR WE ARE ALL MEMBERS OF ONE BODY. Ephesians 4

³¹ Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling (or quarrelling) and slander, along with every form of malice. ³² Be kind and compassionate to ONE ANOTHER, forgiving each other, JUST AS IN CHRIST GOD FORGAVE YOU.

Remember today how much we owe because God has forgiven us. He expects us to be loving and forgiving, because we have received His Forgiveness.

 

²⁷ ‘So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.’ Numbers 6

David was under pressure, fleeing Jerusalem, once again on the run for his life, but his faith in his God remained firm. In this account we saw how God can leave us to take decisions which in turn reveal our true nature.

Jumping forward to the account of Solomon we see a young king blessed by God and a mother who wanted to save her son no matter the cost. 1 Kings 3

³ Solomon showed his love for the Lord by walking according to the instructions given him by his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places. 

The young King Solomon was obeying God, his heart was right towards the God of his father David.

⁴ The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for that was the most important high place, and Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. ⁵ At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, ‘ASK FOR WHATEVER YOU WANT ME TO GIVE YOU.’

God unexpectedly asked the young King a huge question as he lay sleeping. How would we have answered with little time to think? HIS HEART WAS SURE TO BE REVEALED!

⁹ So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?’ 

Solomon felt the need for ‘a discerning heart’ to rule wisely and God was so pleased with his answer that He gave him much more.

¹⁶ Now two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him. ¹⁷ One of them said, ‘Pardon me, my lord. This woman and I live in the same house. I had a baby while she was there with me.

Remarkable, two prostitutes were given an audience with the king, but a child’s life was at stake. An earthly king agreed to hear their case, how much more will our Father in heaven hear us through Jesus! Don’t ever think God won’t listen when is you appeal to Him, He loves us deeply.

One woman’s son had died in the night and now there was a dispute over who the living child belonged to.

²⁴ Then the king said, ‘Bring me a sword.’ So they brought a sword for the king. ²⁵ He then gave an order: ‘CUT THE LIVING CHILD IN TWO and give half to one and half to the other.’

²⁶ The woman whose son was alive was DEEPLY MOVED OUT OF LOVE FOR HER SON and said to the king, ‘Please, my lord, GIVE HER THE LIVING BABY! DON’T KILL HIM!’

The true mother’s heart couldn’t stand to see her son die and she was willing to give up her right to him so he might live. Solomon’s harsh command had revealed the truth.

An unexpected question and the threat to a baby’s life revealed two hearts. God may be trying to teach us something today through unexpected situations. Be open to His leading in our lives today.

³⁸ Give, and [gifts] will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will they pour into [the pouch formed by] the bosom [of your robe and used as a bag]. For with the measure you deal out [with the measure you use when you confer benefits on others], it will be measured back to you. AMPC

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fathersloveministry.co.uk

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God bless and keep you and make His Face shine upon you today and give you Peace. Amen